ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area traffic signaling techs??

is anyone here working as a traffic signaling and street lighting tech?? how is it working on this type of stuff?? boring?? challenging?? any input is appreciated.

im thinking about applying for this type of job, but wanted to see what you guys had to say.

I do a fair amount of work on streetlighting faults which are certainly a challenge sometimes.
There is not much logic in the way the circuits are run and a lot of damage is usually done by roadworks which mostly damage the streetlight circuits.
Also overloading is an issue and not always enough contactors are fitted in the streetlight strings running via the pilot system from the substations to serve the various roads in a certain area.
Biggest culprits are the new subdivisions.
Can't comment on the traffic lights. but a POCO job is not too bad at all.

Traffic signal contractor? I know people that do it and made a hecuva lot of $ selling the old lights; yet I knew a guy who got killed doing it. (Semi truck knocked of bucket from arm.) If you want to do it, you'll be pulling wires under roads, through poles and mast arms, wiring the controller cabinets (nightmares), hanging and securing the lights by yourself, then wiring them. Oh, and you get to work in a bucket truck a lot. Still interested? Look in your phone book to see if there's a contractor (usually an EC) that does them. If there isn't, the township/state handle them.

Ian (Confusing people since 1997) A.

theres a big company down here called republic electric. the have an opening for apprentice position and they enroll you in the local TS union.

how is the pay for these guys??

Both the city and Province of Manitoba signal departments had ads for entry level signal maintainer positions over the last few months.

Two of the requirements I remember were: being able to obtain a commercial drivers licence for the large bucket trucks and you had to have graduated from a recognized electronics course.

I can't recall if working for the government you had to have a restricted electrical licence as well.

The only thing the both government departments do not do are set the concrete bases or directional bore the lines between the bases. They pull the wire and install the heads and controllers.